Grateful Dead

The Band has major expenses putting on a tour like this and everyone gets their slice these days. The halls are expensive to rent. Compared to other contemporary bands on major tours recently, these prices are not that bad. We can't expect them to lose money and we know they are not greedy. Be Grateful they are even on tour even if you can only see one show instead of many or have to sacrifice in other budgetary matters. If you don't catch this tour, do a Ratdog show ($35), the vibe is there and you won't be disappointed. Listen to the Dead channel on satellite radio as much as possible...doc's orders!

These ticket prices are pretty much the norm, unless you want the boys to perform at a loss. The arenas take a big chunk of it right off the top, then you have to pay the crews, the drivers the trucks, the gas, the light riggings etc. It is going to be a matter of choices. Me, I am going to have to put off buying that new espresso machine I have been saving for and maybe work a little OT, but I will most definitely be there in Chicago!

How do we know that website is legitimate? It all seems a little archaic to me - and money and postal orders could be cashed in by anyone....

In the electronic age that we live in, A snail mail pre sale. Give me a break. That sounds like a hustle.!!!! Money orders are almost untraceable, anyone can cash them. If this is the only way to get presale tix, then I'll wait till they go on sale from ticketmaster. What a bunk way to do business

Grateful Dead Mail Order has been around for a long time. Not bunk at all. That said, I'm guessing that there will be an online preorder on Tuesday for those who seek immediate gratification. :)

24/7 pretty much, did you catch tales from the golden road tonight? There was some people calling in complaining about the ticket prices, and they seemed to try to side step it. Lambert or Gans said something about cutting out the middle man to make em cheaper and that if the tickets didnt sell good out of the gate they would probably cut the cost on em. So that means their just holdin out! If they can cut the cost later why cant they go ahead and do it now, cause i can guarntee you their not gonna come out of this without making money. For those who dont think the prices are steep, you obvisouly are doing well and dont have to worry about money in your lives. I will gladly except a ticket from you if your think their so reasonable. Again sorry for being a drag, this whole things not sitting right! nobody knows whats going on and the prices are crazy, somethings gotta give!

lol. you think this mail order is a hassle, imagine wanting tix to 12 stops on a tour, with multiple nights! you are send out envelopes multiple days of the week, with so much paper work the guys at the post office know you by first name after a few days! hate to say i miss them but i do...

The GD mail order thing is old school. I used to get tix that way all the time. You spend less than buying them from ticketbastard. If I go I will def buy them through GDTSTOO, I'm still deciding. If I dont go I'll regret it. Everybody saying these ticket prices are the norm is crazy though. 50-60 bucks for a headlining band is normal, but $100.00 is freakin nutz. I might pay that kind of money for the opportunity to see them in a small venue, but just to get on the floor at one of these big venues, no thanks. What the hell happened to GA shows with one price for the whole place? Remember when you had to stand in line all day if you wanted to be close to the stage? This is crazy, and definately not very "deadlike".

Mail order is a thing of the past, nowadays something akin to winning a nigerian lottery. Sorry if I'm being a buzz kill. Would love to go to a time where people are more trusting, and less technologically dependant.As for the Dead channel, thats a godsend, all dead all the time. I'm just at a loss that there's not more info about what's going down. As for ticket prices $$$ They're driven by what the promoters think people will pay. If you can't justify paying the price, hey don't blame ya, moneys short and times are hard.

sarry garcia what time do tickets go on sale tomorrow?

I don't think so. I've toured on and off for over 20 years, did Europe tour, and was really looking forward to this Spring tour, but between only two West coast dates and $105 base cost for a reserved seat at Shoreline- I just don't think I want to be part of that. Very sad. Sure there are $45 lawn tickets, but we have someone on our crew that uses a cane and we're all in our 40's and 50's so dancing on that sloped lawn just isn't a good time. Why is a single Shoreline show more than NYE?? It makes no sense and I just don't want to believe it's greed.

please don't think the gdts site is a fake or un-reliable. no dis-honesty at all and yeah, old school. decorate your envelopes with artwork and drawings and you may just WIN two free tix to the show of your choice. that said, please tell us pre-sale will be available online!!

gdtstoo is a valid and reliable method to buy tix. did so for years. hardest part is waiting to hear back. also, those who plan to do a bunch of shows have a ton of paperwork to do at home and the post office. a bit of a pain. was cool back in the day. expect that they will also put some sort of online, pre-sale deal out by tomorrow at the latest. phil used both methods for nokia run. either way, you're laying out your cash 3+ months ahead of shows. great way for someone (boys, promoters, et al) to make money on your money. can't imagine that they'll sell out too many of these shows. filling arenas that hold over 15k people will be tough. ratdog does not routinely sell out small theaters. phil neither with the exception of certain locales and weekend dates, etc. (nokia, warfield). in Fall '07, phil put on tremendous shows in syracuse and glens falls, ny (smaller hockey rinks) and didn't sell half of the places. we'll see if people buy the "cheap" ($70ish) seats versus the "good" ones ($100ish). me, no way i'm paying for high end seats. it's true that other acts (stones, police, etc.) charge large $, but they control the supply and create the demand. plus, they are the classic "one timers" as people don't go to multiple shows. going to be interesting.

Anybody know if you buy $60 seats at the Garden, what are we talking about? Is it $100 floor, $60 everywhere else, or what? Where do they draw the line?It would be nice to know, though I figure how bad can it be? At least I don't have to see them in a friggin football stadium. Good luck and keep yer head.

Can somebody answer me the simple question of what is going to be left over for them to stick in your envelope? I mean after presale online here (hopefully) and then TicketSheister? Those of you comparing this to a Rat Dog tour are nuts. This is all going to sell out in a lickety split. Look at this http://us.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/06/grateful.dead/index.html This is going to be a scramble to get tickets. Get em off the line or be in the parking lot complaining and doing whippets. I've been there. So the big question remains: how will dead.net help US make sure that WE get our tickets! We need details now. thanks, pokey

Let's all think positive...they're playing again!!!! It's all good, and it will all work out - I have no doubt!

if you mail order on tuesday, wednesday or thursday, i can't believe that you won't get tickets. you just won't know for awhile. some shows might sell out, (msg, philly), maybe on the weekend, maybe worcester because it's a bit smaller, but it will not be like back in the day. tuesday in buffalo, 19k people?? they will be promoting the crap out of it like you've seen on cnn, but those are outlets are one-offs unless it's a real slow news cycle. read some dialogue on philzone or some other forums out there. people are pissed about $100. again, we don't really know how many are $100 vs. $70, so hard to get totally crazy yet. in the end, people will pony up the $. just don't think it'll be as intense. i was looking at 5 shows and will now only be doing 2. if it was phil & phriends for $60, i'm all in!

"Can somebody answer me the simple question of what is going to be left over for them to stick in your envelope? I mean after presale online here (hopefully) and then TicketSheister?" The tickets that GDTS has been alloted...

They have a "name the 2009 dead tour" thread over on ratdogs site. Theres stuff like " steal your wallet 2009" and "an arm and a leg tour 2009" The shit is bogus man! Shame on the dead!

Want to go to the CA shows in camping in the area of the forum? Or Shoreline the forum is where the lakers play right?

I HEARD THIS ----AND STARTED DANCIN INN THE STREET

I don't nkow kids, the "boys" are old men now. Nina Simone had the decency to tour up to Seattle shortly before her death and I paid some big bucks to see her. The experience beat the ticket price by far and now she is dead and I have no chance of ever seeing her again. I say, if they're coming near you and you want to see them, be happy they're coming to a place that you can travel to as I, can't get time off work for such an escapade. When you think that $30 bucks was pretty norm for crappy seats in the 90's and you consider what the dollar is/isn't worth now, you can't possibly tell me that seeing them isn't worth $100. They're old and they've lived fast lives, we're lucky they can still pick up their instruments, let alone blow our minds... eff the money, its all a game anyway, but a lasting experience that you could carry with you forever is not a game and it is worth it. SO, that said, if you do go, don't get too blasted so you can hold on to what might be your last GD memory, just like many of you do with your remembrance of Jerry, Brent, Keith AND Vince, do also for Bob, Phil, Bill, Mickey, Jeff and Warren. | Wait until the veil is shredded, then reveal it |

You can always get more money, but you may never get a second chance at an experience like this! nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile!

Hey now! Check your inbox RE DCU shows.

I have nothing in my inbox - 4:34 am MST

I think Fat Albert said it best "Nah, Nah, Nah, GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME, Hey, Hey, Hey!!! It has been 14 years too long. I'm going to either Buffalo or Albany, but either way I'm going. Miracles happen!!! Looking forward to being with the kind folk again. See ya all soon EH?

Wondering what ticket limit will be etc.

Could anyone share info from the inbox message which I did not get - if it is about the presales? Maybe I have my settings wrong???

What chance of them coming to Europe? Jim Rudge

Let's compare entertainment dollar values: NHL Hockey (Los Angeles Kings): A small number of tickets sell at $24 (obstructed nosebleed seats); standing room admission is $46; everything else ranges from $75 - 280 per seat. NBA (Lakers): obstructed nosebleeds at $10; everything else skyrockets to a peak of $2,600 for courtside. (Clippers) same except for priciest tix cap out at $1,350. This is PER GAME. All of the Kings, Lakers, and Clippers home games can be seen live on TV, which makes me wonder why in the hell ANYBODY would pay ANYTHING in order to fight downtown traffic, go to a crappy neighborhood at night, pay big bucks to park, and shell out $9 for a beer. The national touring company of The Phantom of the Opera is coming up at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles with ticket prices starting at $29.50 (FAR back rows in balcony) and going up to $126.50. In New York, on Broadway, Disney's The Lion King ranges from $61.50 to $121.50; Wicked is going from $50 to $110; a Saturday performance of West Side Story will run you from $45 to $120 (and more, for "premium" seating). Even a regional touring company musical production is pricey--I shelled out $65 (top price) per ticket to see an excellent touring production of RENT back in November (their cheap seats--WAY in the back of the balcony--were $38). Granted, I recently saw Johnny Winter (with two decent opening acts, over 3 hours of music in all) at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA, for a paltry $25, but despite Johnny's status as a rock/blues deity and Woodstock veteran, he can usually only draw about 200 fans to a gig these days (which is a crime--he is still an incredible musician). The days of the $4.50 ticket are long gone. Sure, the band COULD have chosen to play football stadiums and kept ticket prices down to $25 each, but that would have been a BIG gamble, because any venue that ONLY sold 25,000 tickets would be a money loser for them. Big concerts are expensive to run, what with the venues charging FAT rental fees (they could afford lower rentals back in the days when arena concerts were so common that a venue like The Forum would be in use over 300 days per year, but "big" concerts are rare these days). The ticket prices for The Dead are based on the band needing to clear a profit at the end of the tour, and it is probable that they have taken out a bank loan to cover the costs of renting all of those halls at once, hiring all of the trucks, renting whatever stage equipment they need to add to their setup, purchasing LOTS of insurance, and guaranteeing the wages of the roadies and supporting musicians--if that is the case, then a condition of their loan could very well be a minimum ticket price to help guarantee repayment. All told, they are probably looking at a net profit for the "core four" members of the band of about $10 a seat, assuming about 80% ticket sales at each venue. That's $2.50 per individual (they'll clear a lot more if all the shows sell out). It's quite conceivable that Warren Haynes (and maybe even Jeff Chimenti) will pocket more money at the end of the tour than will Bobby, Phil, Mickey, or Billy, since he's probably hired on at a guarantee per show rather than taking a slice of the pie. Hell, it's even possible that the individual members of The Dead will LOSE money on this tour, if all the ticket whiners boycott the shows, because THEY have to guarantee the payouts, and it's probable that the break-even number will be around 70 - 75% of capacity sales. Remember--100% of capacity sales is IMPOSSIBLE, due to the hundreds of promotional (radio giveaways and promoter freebies), courtesy (friends/family of the band) and press tickets given out at each show. This isn't Madoff, and it's not Exxon/Mobil. It's The Dead.

Maybe if I say please they will give us something.Please.......

How come phish can go to the same venues and sell tix for half as much? their both capable of selling them out, so whats the diff? Willie nelson's playin in greensboro same venue and the high end tix are 75. All im sayin is if you look at the venues the dead are playin and look at some of the tix prices from the other bands, it can be held cheaper than what their askin. Granted some bands are asking for more, almost seems like their more expensive for nostalgic purposes just cause they have been around. To me it just seems to go against the philosophy the dead once stood for. sorry for being in a bad mood about this but im bummed i can only afford to go to one show now itstead of 5

thanks for the DCU info-I cant believe those hotels are already booked-anyway-cassidy's a great name(my daughter)have fun-G

With all due respect-I think everyone needs to chill out about how much money they have to spend! We are FLAT broke and pre-sale and mail-order is not even an option-Because 70-100 isnt so bad when you have no choice but to give your hard-earned dough to some SCALPER SCUM!! Besides,it's THE DEAD, man!!I honostly dont really care about the money---I just want to BLOW THE HORN AND TAP THE TAMBORINE!!!!--peace---

This economy left me laid off from my job in August at which time I started my own business. While the business is getting me by, the economy has gotten much worse since then. Living in Georgia, I was still a little miffed about having to drive to Greensboro to catch a show (with no Jerry), but I insisted to all my friends that I would be going to Greensboro by myself if I had to. Also, how can the Dead justify playing a venue like MSG at this time? Why not pick a smaller venue with more dates (Like Nokia) and spread the tour out to more areas so the tour is about the Heads and not just about the fact that the Boys can stand on the same stage together.Well, during the process of waiting for the details of this tour to materialize, Phish announced their new tour with ticket prices much more reasonable, tour dates much closer to home and in small as well as big venues. I feel that I have burdened my wife already with my employment status over the last several months and I just can't justify being selfish enough to take off on my own to Greensboro. My wife and I will be at the Asheville Phish show come Spring.

After reading several posts all I can say is it's the DEAD man. God willing we will always make more money. I work for a non-profit so I know money can be tight. I'm going, period. This may be the last time, this may be the last time, maybe the last time I don't know. It's about the music, the feeling inside that makes you want to dance, dance, dance. Spin around to the music and bounce around to the drums. The joy it brings me to experience that feeling again brings tears to my eyes. Of course I'd love for them to come to the south, but oh well. They have their individual bands and tour all over and it's the main source of income for their band mates. Can we really be that selfish to ask them to keep their employees un-employed in this economy? We go where we can, when we can and be thankful.

Plain and simple, these ticket prices are outrageous. The Dead have cut the scalpers out of in the process and have become the scalpers themselves. I guess its progress in a weird sort of way.

Does anyone know who is selling tickets and what time they go on sale tommorrow ???

These ticket prices are outrageous! And the word I hear is that the lower price tickets are for behind the stage. So you could be spending $100 on nosebleed tickets. (please confirm this elsewhere, but it seems to be true at least for the Nassau show)

Um, yes, the good old days of cheap tickets and 100+ shows a year. How many musicians did that chew up and spit out? No thanks. The Dead don't provide the whole ride any more. They are one stop for your bus. Keep yer head.

I mean I understand we're all in tough times right now, but I still don't think $50.00 is unreasonable for a show, even $89.50 which is the reserved seating at the venue I'm going to. Any show you go to now days is at least $50 and like some of the members have said above, it's the Dead. For me it's more about the chance to see them for possibly the last time, all together on stage doing what makes me love & appreciate them so much. And I get the frustration over the prices and not being able to go to multiple shows because of it, but hey, if you can at least get to one...I just don't see how it's not worth it? I said it yesterday and I'll say it again, I'm just so thankful that I will get to see them one more time in my lifetime..even if I have to sit way up in the nose bleed section. So let's try and stay positive...we've got one more day until pre-sale starts so let's just relax and see what happens. Positive thoughts brothers and sisters...positive thoughts. On that note, I hope everyone has a grate day...chat with all later!!!!

I guess 100.00 to see a show and get what you want out of the experience is worth it...It is better than paying 75.00 for a sporting event and watching the home team lose

Don't get me wrong, I know all the reasons why these shows will be special. I am very depressed that I can't join in the fellowship that is "The Dead" and I love a nice road trip as much (well, probably even more) than the next guy. My decision is plain and simply financial. I hope to catch Phil or Bobby or Billy later in the year. Also, If I make that investment, I will not be leaving the show early to get my cooler to sell juices and grilled cheese in order to fund the trip. (Been there, done that) If I were still 21 and in college, you can bet your ass I would be catching more than one of these shows. The gifts that the GD have given me through the years have made me who I am today and it has enabled me to have the spirit to be hapillly married with children. It has also allowed me to have the memories that I can subsist on. IE: I have had these unbelievable experiences that will be with me forever, so while we are all still searching for the sound, I have some pretty good journeys to look back on and smile about and I am optomistic about my future experiences. As for this being "The Last Time," I am not worried. I tend to look back at how I felt when Jerry was in a coma, when Brent Died, when Bill Graham perished, when Phil had his liver transplant and when Jerry died. If we continued after those events, I don't think this even compares to those. Keep the faith. Peace

Does anyone know where i can find more information on the presale tix?

I find the ticket prices offensive, what $75 bucks each is too little for the boys? If they wanted to really cash in why not wait until the summer and play stadiums at $100 a head? I'm just bitchin', of course I'm still going to plunk down my hard earned money like everyone else.

"If they wanted to really cash in why not wait until the summer and play stadiums at $100 a head?" Because they don't have a hope in hell of filling venues of that size. I doubt that many, if any, of the arenas will even fill up. I'll be dropping $200 for my bride and me to say goodbye to the boys in Albany, and be on my merry way after that.

These ticket prices are disgraceful! I absolutely love The Dead, but how anyone can justify charging these prices in this economy is beyond me and certainly way beyond the spirit of The Dead. That said, I am a poor college student that would happily pay $150 a pop for floor tix. But, $500 is way beyond my means, as I'm sure it is for most people. Looks like it will only be one show for me, along with a whole lot of DSO. After the euphoria I experienced when this tour was announced, I can't even begin to describe the disappointment I now feel. What a shame.

100$ per ticket is not so much. We have to fly to USA from Finland. Only traveling will be over 600$. That is if we get the tickets. That post order thing is very strange. How do I know I did actually get the tickets before public sale begins. Is this some kind of GD tradition to make simple things complicated? I sure hope there is tomorrow an easy old fashioned internet click- click way to buy tickets.However it has been very nice to read all comments. You all seem to be a little bit exited ;). Well so are we. Hope we see you at MSG.

LOL What a joke. $100? Since I don't see them lowering prices ever, I guess I've seen my last Dead show. Unreal.

I hope someone from GD reads this, FUCK OFF,100$ a ticket is outfuckingrageous. I was excited and planning on going to 3 shows, not anymore. no way you can justify those prices. have fun with 1/2 full venues. this will be the last tour, b/c there won't be anyone there. funny how things come full circle. they started out in troopers hall with no fans, now in 2009, they are going to out price their fans. way to go!